Blog - A Tale of Two Thirties

Spring News

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Roy

I don’t know if you have been wondering, but I want to let you know that I am alive and well. We returned from winter quarters more than a month ago, but spring has been late in arriving here at ATOTT, and chilly, rainy weather has interfered with range activities. Spring wild flowers have come and gone and the lilacs are now fading, but I have made only one trip to the range so far. That will change.

I had a couple of good collecting experiences over the winter months, involving handguns, of all things. The first picture shows a Colt Police Positive .38 with nickel finish and factory, mother-of-pearl grips. The gun belonged to the police chief of a mid-sized city, and he apparently never carried it because it is in nearly 100% condition and unfired. Very interesting for a revolver manufactured in 1914. The caliber is what we today call .38 S&W (not .38 S&W Special). It was invented by Mr. Wesson but Colt called it the .38 Colt New Police because they did not want to stamp “S&W” on their guns.

Colt Police Positive First Issue

The second picture shows a Smith & Wesson Model 30-1 .32 Long. This is a twentieth century descendant of the original .32 hand ejector model that appeared in 1896 when the .32 S&W Long cartridge was introduced. I would date the manufacture to about 1963. This revolver is also in new condition and came with original box and papers. It also appears to be unfired.

Smith & Wesson Model 30-1

I am not going to fire the Colt because of its collector value and interesting provenance, but I will fire the S&W. I have been a .32 fan since I met Great Grandma’s Pistol and wrote about it in an early post. I want to try some factory ammunition and also do some handloading. Great things about the .32 are that it is very pleasant to shoot, accurate, and you can get about 2000 handloads out of a pound of powder.

Full details for these two revolvers will appear in later posts.

Rifle range activities that I hope to get to soon include more shooting of the Ruger No. 1S Cabela’s Commemorative rifle that I first reported on in January, and some additional work with loads for the .300 Savage. Reports will appear fairly soon, I hope. Check it out every now and then

Posted in Personal History | Tagged Colt Police Positive, Smith & Wesson Model 30-1 | Comments Off

Average Load Velocity: Mean and Median

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Roy

I have been working on an article dealing with statistical analysis of ammunition velocity and accuracy. You will soon be able to access it from the articles page. Here is a preview that deals with velocity.

When I encounter a new factory load or prepare a new handload, the first thing I want to know is the load’s velocity. Sometimes I am making a comparison and I want to know whether load A is faster than load B. Modern electronics have made accurate velocity measurement fairly easy to accomplish. All you need is a good chronograph and a quiet day, and, of course, your rifle.

Scatter

Open a new box of factory ammo and you will see a shiny bunch of cartridges that look identical. Fire them in your favorite pole, however, and you will find a range of velocities. In other words, there is “scatter” in the shooting results. A statistical discussion may use this term or may use the more formal term “dispersion.”

How, then, do we decide what the velocity of a load really is? We are aided by the fact that the scattered values usually have a tendency to cluster around a certain value in the range. Statistical treatment calls this the “central tendency” and if we can identify it, we will have something to hang our hat on. The most common measure of the central tendency for shooters seems to be the “arithmetic mean,” and it is just fine to call it the “average velocity.” To get it, sum the values and divide by the number of shots. Of course, your chronograph will happily give you this value after you have shot your string.

A typical example of the treatment is shown by velocity data for a handload that I examined recently, 35.2 gr of Hodgdon LVR powder pushing a Hornady 160-gr FTX bullet. Eight rounds fired from a Remington Model 788 gave the following velocity values:

2372, 2356, 2346, 2345, 2314, 2229, 2217, 2180 fps

The mean (average) velocity is 2295 fps. This data set seems to be flawed because it has a large spread of 192 fps, the result of a couple of abnormally low values, called “outliers.” Outliers are encountered frequently in a set of measured velocities. I might be tempted to throw them out, and calculate the average for the remaining cluster, but that would not be playing fair and cannot be allowed. These are the measured values and I can only assume at this point that they reflect the true performance of the load. The range is what it is and it does give me some preliminary idea of the uniformity of the load.

Now I would like to examine an alternative kind of central tendency, (average) that is called the “median value.” To get the median, list all of the velocities in order and find the value that has an equal number of velocities above and below it. That is the median value. If the list has an even number of velocities, the median is the average of the two middle values. The median value for my handload is 2330 fps, a value considerably higher than the mean value, 2295 fps. The median is seen to minimize the effect of the outliers.

As noted above, one or more outliers will often be observed in a set of measured velocities. It is my opinion, then, that the median value is a better measure of a load’s tendency than the mean value. However, the mean is the value more often used for a velocity average in the shooting literature. Sometimes the difference in the two measures is rather small, but sometimes it is not.

Degree of Scatter

The mean or median values tell us little about the amount of scatter in our velocity data. Of course, we would like our cartridges to give us a uniform, that is, a tightly clustered, sample set of velocities

One measure of the amount of scatter in a group of shots is called the Standard Deviation. A regular part of statistical treatment, the SD is calculated using squared values for the velocity differences found when comparing the individual shots with the mean value. The Standard Deviation is the scatter measure most used for shooting results because most chronographs calculate SD for you after you fire a string of velocities. Thus, you can get an SD value without knowing how it is derived or what it means. The standard deviation for my handload above is 74 fps

A drawback of the SD value is that its meaning is not very intuitive. It does not give an easy mental picture of its meaning. A strong point is that it can be used for additional calculations to determine whether the means of two series are really different. This is especially useful when comparing the velocities of two different loads.

An alternative, more concrete measure for scatter is the “Average Deviation.” To get it, determine the difference of each velocity from the mean velocity. For the handload above (mean velocity 2295 fps, median velocity 2330 fps) the list is:

2372, 2356, 2346, 2345, 2314, 2229, 2217, 2180 fps

Deviations from Mean: +77, +61, +51, +50, +19, -66, -78, -115

Deviations from Median: +42, +25, +16, +15, -16, – 101, -113, 150

Considering all differences to be positive values, calculate the average. The smaller the average deviation, the more uniform the load. The average deviation may be calculated for the mean or for the median. For my .handload data, the values show 65 fps average deviation from the mean, and 60 fps average deviation from the median. The rather clear picture given by the AD is that an average shot with this load will fall about 60 fps from 2330 fps.

What If I Am Dissatisfied?

Although I think I have made the best analysis of the data I have to work with, I am not very satisfied with the outcome. Do I have recourse? Yes, fire more shots. The reliability of the mean or median will always be improved by additional data points. This will clarify the tendency toward outliers and improve confidence in the average. Don’t have the time for more shooting? More shots too expensive? OK, then try the analysis with median and average deviation outlined above.

Working with medians and average deviations involves a bit more work, but it can be worth it.

The Remington Model 81 Woodsmaster

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Roy

O Happy Day!

A nice, old rifle,

A bit obscure? Well, just a trifle,

But at the range, no cause for frowning,

This gun’s designed by John M. Browning!

The year 1900 was a very good year for John Browning. In that year he obtained the first of the patents for his A5 semiautomatic shotgun, the first and most successful semiauto scattergun. Versions were marketed by Remington Arms and Fabrique Nationale of Belgium, among others, and production eventually totaled in the millions of units over many years.

John Browning’s personal opinion was that this humpbacked, long-recoil action shotgun was the best thing he ever did. Perhaps less well-known is the fact that there was a rifle version of this sporting arm. A patent for this semiautomatic rifle was also obtained in 1900, and the gun was soon marketed as the Remington Model 8. It was chambered for a series of Remington rimless cartridges, the .25, .30, .32, and .35 Remington rounds. Except for the .35, these rounds were essentially rimless versions of popular Winchester cartridges, the .30 Remington, for instance, being a rimless version of the immortal .30-30 Winchester. Loading manuals typically state that their listed .30-30 Winchester loads may also be used for the .30 Remington.

The Model 8 was found to be a satisfactory hunting rifle. It had a long run, was built in fair numbers, and was considered suitable for updating in 1936, when the designation was changed to Model 81. Changes were minor and the action remained the same as the Model 8. A bigger deal is that the .300 Savage chambering was added to the line. That cartridge, with considerably more punch than the .30 Remington, increased the scope of the model’s hunting capability.

A Good Model 81 Woodsmaster in .300 Savage

The Woodsmaster that I found was in very good condition. Good wood, no rust, excellent bore, and blue turning to a nice patina for the finish. If you should run on to one while prowling the used gun racks, chances are it will look about the same as mine and it will work well. Mr. Browning’s designs are very strong and were meant to work well for a long time.

The Remington Model 81 Woodsmaster

The resemblance born by this arm to the A5 semi-auto shotgun is apparent in the first picture. The humpbacked action is there, but don’t be fooled by the fat barrel. It is not all barrel because the actual barrel is held in a jacket, a tube of larger diameter. With each shot, the barrel moves back against a spring inside this tube, and that movement transfers energy to the bolt and allows the recoil of the shot to cycle the action. It unlocks the bolt, ejects the spent shell, and returns to battery with the bolt seating a new round in the chamber. That is basically the working of the “long recoil” action.

The next picture shows the business end with the large tube, then a bushing that positions the barrel uniformly after each shot, and then the barrel itself.

Business End of the .300 Savage Woodsmaster

The front sight is not standard. It is a taller bead, something that is needed for use with an aperture rear sight. The picture of the right side of the receiver shows the large, stamped safety lever, the bolt handle, and the magazine, which is not easily removable. The gun loads through the open action at the top, with five cartridges held by the spring steel magazine lips.

Receiver, Right

The left side of the receiver carries the Woodsmaster logo. The small lever just above the trigger guard releases the bolt after loading. Note also the three screws to be used for attaching an off-center scope mount.

The most interesting feature of the Model 81 action (and that of the previous Model 8) is shown in the next picture. Note that the breech of the barrel has an extension that is machined to accept the opposed locking lugs of the bolt. The bolt, therefore, rotates to lock into this barrel extension, not into slots machined in the receiver, as would be the case with the vast majority of rifles. This type of lockup has appeared a number of times over the years. It is currently used, for example, in the modern Browning lever action and semiautomatic, centerfire rifles, although the BAR is gas-operated.

Woodsmaster Breech Open

A consequence of this design is that the receiver does not have to contain the energy of a round being fired. That is born entirely by the barrel/barrel extension in which the bolt is locked. The receiver may therefore be more lightly constructed to save weight and that shows in the thin metal of the Model 81 receiver. It seems to me that this design is quite appropriate for a semi auto action in which recoil must rotate the bolt to unlock it from its seat, something that would be more difficult to accomplish if the bolt locked in channels in the receiver. It may also be the best way to get uniformity of lockup when everything moves from shot to shot. Maybe that observation is only intuitive; I am no gun designer. But John Browning saw it all 113 years ago, and it works.

The Model 81 also has a take-down feature. Removing the forearm reveals a lever-operated screw that will free the barrel for removal from the action. That is easily accomplished and the barrel is easily replaced.

Shooting the Woodsmaster

Pulling the bolt handle until it locks open will allow cartridges to be inserted in the single column magazine from the top. Pushing down the small lever on the left side of the receiver allows the bolt to slam forward and chamber a cartridge with a satisfying “ka-chuck.” Pushing the safety lever down then readies the arm for firing.

I have so far done a limited amount of shooting with the Model 81. I tried Winchester and Federal 150-gr loads for the .300 Savage, and also Hornady’s new Superformance load in that caliber. The Winchester and Federal loads gave nominal velocity for the caliber, and the Hornady Superformance did deliver a bit more than 100 fps higher velocity than these two, as advertised. The trigger was in the “not too bad” category, not creepy, but a bit soft. My accuracy testing was hampered by old eyes and the simple, open sights. I managed groups of about 1.5 in. at 50 yards. I will need to install better sighting equipment for a better evaluation of the rifle’s accuracy potential. That, as always, is my main interest. Empties are kicked straight up from the action so a scope must be mounted in offset position. For that reason, I may choose to go with an aperture rear sight and a fine bead on the front. I may also need to be concerned with function, as I had a few jams during the shooting sessions, in spite of earlier statements about how well Browning designs work. I think it will be fine with more shooting. We will see to all of this as the weather gets warmer.

This is the first semi-auto, centerfire rifle that I have ever shot and I could have made it go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, but I did not. There is little point in doing that unless you are Texan Frank Hamer and you have Bonnie and Clyde in the sights of your Remington Model 8, as he did on a fateful day in 1934 when he and several other lawmen put an end to that pair’s murderous exploits.

Just how good can a gun shoot when the barrel moves with every shot? Well, we know from experience with another Browning invention, the Model 1911 Government Model .45 ACP, that the answer is “pretty darn good!” An army of NRA Bullseye shooters have proven that. Again, we will have to see about my Woodsmaster.

Posted in Rifles/Thirties | Tagged Remington Model 81, Remington Model 81 .300 Savage, Remington Model 81 Woodsmaster, Woodsmaster | Comments Off

Evaluating Ammunition: How Many and How far?

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Roy

The cost factor in ammunition testing is more important today than it has ever been before. Every component of a cartridge has increased in cost and skyrocketing ammo demand has created a seller’s market. I hesitate to give examples of specific prices because things have been changing so rapidly, but even before the recent madness the cost of factory rifle ammo was pushing $2.00 per round, even for common chamberings. Premium bullets in high-end hunting ammo pushes the cost up even more.

I shoot groups at a range because it is fun and because I am curious about the performance of guns and ammo. It is great to have your curiosity rewarded by careful experimentation and reliable shooting results. It satisfies the inner scientist. Therefore, I am always going to shoot, but economics will have to be a serious consideration.

The first picture shows five consecutive, 5-shot groups fired at 100 yards some years ago with a Remington Model 700 VLS, caliber .308 Winchester. This shot number and distance

Five groups Fired with Remington Model 700 VLS .308

followed my standard practice in those days. I was happy with these results because they showed consistent, sub-minute-of-angle performance, actually, an average of 0.65”, with little tendency toward flyers. These records followed a fair amount of accuracy work with the rifle and handload development with several different powders. The work paid off. In subsequent trials, the varmint-weight VLS rifle, with its laminated stock and heavy, 24-inch barrel continued to be a great shooter, with occasional, sub-0.5” groups. Sometime soon I will do a post just on this rifle. It is interesting to recognize, however, that firing this page with factory target ammo today would cost close to fifty smackers. Makes you wonder just how curious you can afford to be.

Yes, I know, handloading has always been a way to cut the cost of shooting, and tons of interesting projects can be pursued, but costs have gone up here, too. Considering the current cost of primers, powder, match bullets, and brass amortized over 10 reloads, I get a figure of $0.56 per target load (with Sierra 168-gr MatchKings) in .308, or, $14 to shoot the page above. This is the least it will cost me to satisfy the inner shooting scientist, so handloading still pays, that is, IF you can get the components. Every one of the components I chose to figure this cost is currently out of stock at the large, online distributors. Lucky I have enough stuff on hand to meet current needs.

The Frugal Fuselier

As I said, I am always going to shoot, but I certainly need careful planning and efficient range behavior so that I get the most bang for my buck (Sorry about that). One important choice to be made is the number of rounds to fire for each group. Today, my ballpark says three to no more than five, but what are the concerns?

I love to shoot three-shot groups. The test shooting takes less time and there is less trouble with barrel heat in high summer. There is also a lower chance that a 3-group will be spoiled by a shot affected by wind, mirage, or a tic in shooter technique. If you want the best chance of having your rifle or load look good, shoot threes.

However, these very “advantages” make it less likely that you will find a problem and they may allow you to overestimate the quality of the load or rifle in question. For that reason, I like to add a fourth shot to my groups. Lack of flyers in a series of four-shot groups is always an indication of good performance because flyers will show up with frequency in four-shot groups with loads or rifles that are not giving the best performance. The fours therefore give me more confidence in any conclusions based upon my results.

If four shot groups are good, then why not five? That is simply a judgement call. Adding a fifth shot increases your cost by 25% and it does not add that much to your evaluation of results, in my opinion. Five-shot groups have been a standard for years, however, and when the American Rifleman tests a gun in their Dope Bag section, they shoot five or ten, 5-shot groups. Or is it five, 10-shot groups? I forget, but 50 shots is usually more than I feel I need. If I can get at least four consecutive, very nice four-shot groups I feel I am on pretty solid ground. Often, I shoot more than that, as you know.

How About the Shooting Distance?

One hundred yards has always been common for reported results, but I like 50 yards, and there are practical reasons other than arthritic knees for choosing the shorter distance. Obviously, it takes less time to run targets. More importantly, when I shoot I want the quality of the load to be the only variable, insofar as possible. The shorter distance lessens the effect of wind and weather. There will also be a smaller difference in point of impact for different loads at 50 yards. This can be a problem at 100 yards, where I have seen similar loads of different brands print as much as 10 inches apart. I don’t want to have to use extra ammo to rezero my group and I DO NOT WANT TO CRANK MY SCOPE IN THE MIDDLE OF ACCURACY SHOOTING! OK, fifty yards it is. I can always check at 100 if I feel the need.

Bottom line: I will shoot four-shot groups at fifty yards most of the time. You have seen that already in a lot of posts at this address.

The next picture shows what I like to see at the end of the day, coming from a recent test of Hornady Monoflex 140-gr ammo, caliber .30-30 Winchester. Call me a hypocrite for breaking my just-established guideline, but I had decided to shoot three-shot groups with this ammo because of its cost. The set of six, consecutive, three-shot groups was obtained using a Remington Model 788 bolt action rifle that had been carefully glass bedded some time ago. The rifle was equipped with a Leupold Vari-X III 4-14X scope (Not a cheap scope!) set at 14X. Firing was

Remington Model 788 .30-30 with Leupold Vari X III

done at a solid bench using a target grade front rest and a bunny ear, leather bag for the rear rest. For every shot the rifle was placed with the front rest supporting the foreend two inches behind the front sling swivel and the bunny bag supporting the butt stock one inch in front of the rear sling swivel. Position was adjusted to center the crosshair on the bull with the gun then perfectly stationary in the rest. I then held the forearm lightly just behind the front rest and I placed my shoulder against the butt with light pressure. With the scope picture motionless I broke each shot with a fairly rapid, smooth pull. Works better for me than slow squeezing, which can be affected by shortness of breath and uneven heartbeat.

The average size of the groups is impressive, but the most remarkable thing is the uniformity of the six, with a variance of only 0.13,” smallest to largest. No brag here, just the fact that you can get similar results, if the ammo is up to it, by following the practices outlined in the previous paragraph. Insuring identical conditions, shot to shot, is the key to reliable results. In the end, that is at least as important as the distance or the number of shots for your groups.

Posted in Personal History, Rifles/Thirties | Tagged Bench shooting groups, Evaluating ammunition | Leave a comment

Cabela’s Commemorative Ruger No. 1S

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Roy

Cabela’s, self-proclaimed as the “World’s Foremost Outfitter,” celebrated their 50^th anniversary in business in 2011. The enterprise began when Richard Cabela and his wife got it going in a garage in Nebraska in 1961. Over the years, Cabela’s has grown into a huge outdoor sports marketing business with over 40 retail stores and a large direct marketing program. It is one of the great business successes of the late twentieth century. To mark the 50-year milestone the company commissioned a number of specially-finished rifles, including 500 copies of the Ruger No. 1 Single Shot Rifle chambered for the .300 H&H Magnum.

Cabela’s 50th Anniversary Ruger No. 1S .300 H&H Magnum

Sturm-Ruger introduced the No. 1 rifle in 1966. They wanted to produce a classic, single-shot rifle, one that could be admired for its design and workmanship, and they succeeded. It is characterized by good looks, quality construction, and fine finish. Several variations of the No. 1 with various barrel lengths and weights have been in continuous production up to the present day. The No. 1 action will safely handle any modern cartridge, and it has been chambered at one time or another for most all of them, from .22 Hornet up to .458 Winchester Magnum.

The Ruger No. 1 and Me

I have always bought into the mysterious appeal of single-shot rifles. Perhaps there is something in them that evokes the glory of the past, the conquering of the American continent with simple tools and perseverance, with marksmanship valued more than firepower. Or maybe I just like its purposeful looks.Whatever it is, the Ruger No. 1 satisfies. I have owned two of them previously, a No. 1B (The standard rifle) in .22 Hornet and a No. 1V (The varmint model) in .22-250 Remington. I have also owned three examples of the Ruger No. 3, the lower-priced carbine version with the same action as the No. 1. One of these was a .22 Hornet, one a .223 Remington, and one a .30-40 Krag. All of these rifles proved to be very accurate after some tuning of the guns and handloads. The Krag is an especially fine shooter and has been invaluable in my work with that old cartridge.

While surfing the gun ads on the web last fall I noticed that a number of the Cabela’s stores were still listing their commemorative models and that most of them had the Ruger No. 1. Moreover, the price had been reduced to the point of not much more than the MSRP for a standard No. 1. That is when I really started to pay attention. I didn’t see how I could go any longer as a purveyor of lore about “old thirties” without doing something with a good .300 H&H Magnum. This No. 1 looked like the perfect way to get into it. Another vintage thirty in a classic rifle. Nothing better for me.

I scanned my holdings for trading stock and found a good piece that I had few prospects for using (not a thirty). I carried it into the Cabela’s store in Kansas City on a Saturday two weeks before Christmas. Mercy, that visit in itself would be worth a post. The KC store is huge, had the usual complement of mounted trophies, seemed to be stocked with everything in their catalog, and half the city’s population was shopping there. Sure enough, they had a couple of the No. 1 commemoratives in boxes in the back. I liked the wood and the finish. One of their knowledgeable gun men put together a fair and satisfactory deal and I signed on. The deal making was pleasant and professional. This didn’t take very long, but there were so many guns being sold that day that the afternoon was shot, so to speak, by the time the formalities were taken care of. It was “take a number” at the cash register, but then I walked out with the box under my arm and a smile on my face.

The Cabela’s Commemorative Ruger No. 1S

The Ruger No. 1 has a falling block action. Lowering the action lever causes the breech block to fall, that is, to descend to the extent of exposing the cartridge chamber for loading and extraction. As a

Sight Rib, receiver, and Lever

falling block action, the Ruger follows a number of older actions, of which the Sharps is probably the most famous American example. Falling block actions are inherently strong, and the Ruger, being an excellent design and made of the best materials, is no exception.

Ruger applies the “S” designation to its medium-weight sporter. Cabela’s commemorative No.1S has a premium walnut stock, a deeply polished and blued barrel and receiver, and a gold Cabela’s logo on the bottom of the receiver. The fit and finish does seem to be a click or two above that of the usual, finely-turned-out No. 1. The wood is light in color with contrasty grain and some fiddleback in the butt. It looks more like English walnut than black walnut. The well-executed, at least 20-line checkering has a plain border with clean lines and sharp points. The

Decent Wood

rear sight is carried on the steel sight rib that is screwed to the barrel and is machined to accept clamp-on scope rings, a pair of which is supplied with the rifle. That is not a trivial inclusion.

The pictures give a good idea of the design and finish. The open action shows the extractor for the belted cartridge to the lower

Breech Open on the No. 1S

Muzzle Sculpture: The Front Sight Assembly

left of the chamber opening, with the breechblock in the white and lowered to expose the chamber. That’s where you put the candle.

The triggers of a No. 1 can be adjusted, something not recommended by the Ruger manual, of course. I do not recommend it either, but will confess that I have fiddled a bit with No. 1 triggers with no untoward consequences. I won’t be fiddling with this one, at least not for a while.

The .300 H & H Magnum

The British firm of Holland and Holland based their thirty-caliber cartridge on their existing .375 H&H magnum and brought it out in 1920, when it was dubbed the Holland “Super Thirty”. Originally obtainable in America only in custom rifles, the .300 H&H, as it came to be called, was eventually available in the Winchester Model 70 and then in other rifles, and factory loads were introduced by the Western Cartridge Company, again, followed by others. It was great for hunting on most any continent, but especially in the American west and on the African plains.

.300 H&H with the .30-06 for Comparison

The appearance of the .300 H&H will seem a bit odd to those who are used to looking at modern Magnum cartridges. Its shape is reminiscent of a Saturn V rocket, or perhaps of a .22 Hornet that took a lot of growth hormones. Very long for the caliber with a long, sloping shoulder and a long neck. It is a belted magnum, the belt at the base of the cartridge being used for positive headspacing. When the .300 Winchester Magnum was introduced in the 1960s it became very popular and it relegated the .300 H&H nearly to oblivion. Though it is also belted, being based on the older round, the .300 Win was shorter and could therefore be used in a .30-06-length action. Still, it had larger powder capacity for slightly better ballistics. A plethora of short and shorter .30 magnums has followed. The magnum waters are muddied as a result, but performance differences between old and new are not that great, especially with handloaded cartridges, where the .300 H&H still really shines. And, in spite of its shape, it gives nothing away in accuracy to newer cartridge designs.

But the big question is: How does it shoot in a Ruger #1?

At the Range with the .300 H&H: Not for Sissies

Good ‘ol Mother Nature allowed me only one day at the range with the Cabela’s No.1 before lowering the boom of snow and ice on my shooting activities. It was an interesting day. It was a good day, in spite of only putting about 15 rounds downrange. I turned the rear sight blade upside down to use the larger notch and put up some

Three Groups with federal factory 180-gr Copper

circular targets to center the front bead at 50 yards. I used Federal Premium Trophy 180-grainers to begin. They have some kind of pure copper concoction for the bullet. The first three-shot group measured about .40”. Holy cow, I was elated, but as often happens, the following groups enlarged, to .59” and 1.08”. Still, an average of about 2/3 of an inch sent me home feeling good. I think possibly the all-copper pills fouled the new bore rather quickly. I then tried a few handloads using IMR 4350 behind a Hornady Spire Point. These rounds gave groups of slightly over an inch.

I did not chronograph any of the shots. In the winter you don’t do all the things that you do in the summer. The Federal factory rounds profess a muzzle velocity of 2880 fps, and I can tell you that my shoulder felt that they were giving all of that. The .300 H&H Mag is not for folks who are even the least bit intimidated by recoil, and there are plenty of good thirties to choose from that will thump you a lot less. It seems to me however, that the kick is not as sharp as with some other magnums, and I am looking forward to more punishment as I check out the gun and ammunition at greater length. I do not think recoil will be a problem if I limit shooting to a reasonable number of groups per range visit.

Otherwise, the rifle functioned perfectly. The trigger was crisp and not too heavy. The gun reposed comfortably in the bench rest, but need I say my sight picture was not very sharp.

The Bottom Line

This is a fine rifle, everything it is cracked up to be. It makes me dream about going after Greater Kudu in Africa. That is probably not in the cards, but the stage is set for an accuracy quest with a lot more range shooting. No accuracy tweaking of the rifle will be attempted, however, until I am sure of what the piece is doing in stock form. There may never be any need for accuracy tweaking, for that matter.

You might have guessed that .300 H&H factory ammo is a very pricey item. That’s right, it is in the range of $45 -$65 for twenty rounds, so there will be no testing of large amounts of factory ammo reported by this retiree. However, I have plenty of appropriate powder and, of course, a large selection of .308 bullets for handloading. I have fifty new Norma cases in addition to the factory empties and I have procured a Lee two-die set with a collet neck sizer. It should work well with cases fired only in this rifle. Since it headspaces on the belt, I expect it will work out about the same as loading for rimmed cases like the .30-30 and .30-40. Boy o boy o boy I can’t wait to fire it with a scope and have installed a Burris Hunter Benchrest 6X unit. This scope is very crisp and has fine crosshairs, just the ticket for group shooting at 50 yards. Only trouble is, it is winter at the range. One thing I can say, though, before leaves fall next year you will know more about just how well this rifle can shoot.

Posted in Rifles/Thirties | Tagged .300 H&H Magnum, Cabela's Commemorative Ruger No. 1, Ruger No. 1S, Ruger No. 1S .300 H&H Magnum | Comments Off

Thoughts on Range Shooting

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Roy

ATOTT has taken up winter quarters far from home, and we do not care about missing the sleet and snow that is predicted to hit our old home front today and tonight. Nope, sunny and 65 deg. seems quite acceptable, at least for a while. And there is plenty of time to write and plenty of time to think. Thinking perfects my plans and keeps my life orderly. Lately I have been thinking about rifle range activities and I have some thoughts to share.

Sighting In

In my regular stamping grounds most of the rifle shooters are deer hunters. You don’t see much of them for most of the year, but as fall approaches they will head for ranges to make sure Ol’ Reliable can still be counted on to put ‘em in the right place.

This, of course, is exactly what a hunter should do. Got to be sure you can get clean kills, and it really is not complicated. Most hunters will be using a familiar arm and a few shots that fall in a decent group will do the trick. Half an hour and they are ready for the woods. Won’t see them again until next year.

Occasionally, however, something more serious has taken place. Perhaps a new scope has been installed. Maybe a new brand or load of ammunition needs to be evaluated. Hunters are always looking for improvement in their tools. There may even be, halleluia! – a new rifle. I have noted that these conditions often result in stress and difficulty at the range, especially when friends of the shooter are present. Let me give you a scenario.

Two guys show up at the range. Larry has a new scope, or rifle, or whatever, and Cody has come along to help and lend moral support (and also to give Larry a hard time, which is what he has been doing since they were in fourth grade together). Larry goes to the 100-yard target line and staples a paper plate to the target holder. Returning to the line, Larry finds the target looks pretty good in his 3-9X scope, so he sends a bullet downrange. Hmmm. No hole appears in the plate, and there are so many old holes in the target holder that a new one can’t be spotted. Larry sends a couple more after the first one with the same results. Finally, he says “Cody, I thought I saw the weeds move about a foot to the left of the target holder on that last shot. Watch real close and see if you can spot the next one.” After a couple more, Cody agrees that something is plunking in the berm somewhere to the left of the target holder. If they are lucky, the weather has been dry and some dust kicks up. Larry knows how to adjust his scope, so the next one hits at the top edge of the paper plate. Thank God! On the paper at last! Now just a bit more adjustment and the next one will land right in the center. But it does not. It appears very close to the bottom edge of the plate, which is a mystery. Cody thinks that maybe the new rifle is not what it is cracked up to be, and, anyway, a deer’s mortal zone is about paper plate size, so it will work, and he doesn’t really care if Larry’s new rifle isn’t very accurate. Larry, of course, is crushed by the thought.

Usually, the trouble is that Larry does not have good support at the bench. He is shooting off his elbows with no bench support to the stock, front or back. Although Larry is young and strong, he cannot shoot better than an eight- or ten-inch group this way, and if he adjusts his sight after every shot, it will take a long time to get confidence in what the rifle is doing. Larry and Cody may eventually get the job done, but they have already sent most of a $35.00 box of ammo downrange, and more is needed.

The Solution to the Problem

I have witnessed this scenario many times over the years. And I hasten to add that I do not hold Larry and Cody in contempt. I am sure they are much better at finding and killing deer than I would be, me having been just a sometime hunter, in spite of my gun crankiness. Larry and Cody are good guys and I want them to be successful in pursuing America’s most unique and important freedom.

The solution to the problem scenario is very simple.

Set the first damn target, a target with a bull, at 20- to 25 yards.
Have a good rest for your piece at the bench.
Look through the bore of the solidly rested rifle and center the bull.
Move the crosshairs to the bull without moving the rifle.
Fire one and you will be on the paper.
Adjust the scope for impact 1 to 1.5 inches low at 25 yards. Shouldn’t take more than a couple more shots.
If this is OK, you will be on the paper at 100 yards and can fine-tune the scope to give what you want at that distance. Shoot at least a three-shot group to make sure. (I probably would go to fifty for a check before moving to 100, but you know that I like to shoot a lot. I would also shoot several three to five-shot groups at 100 yds.)

Image is important to folks who ply the outdoor sports. You want to look good, but there are plenty of opportunities to be embarrassed with shooting activities. I don’t know if guys feel it is not macho to put a target up at only 25 yards, but I do know there is nothing macho about looking like a dork while you put round after expensive round into the weeds at 100 yards. And, Larry, if you get an inch-or-so group at 100 yards while expending only ten rounds or so, Cody is going to be mightily impressed, although he may not admit it.

Posted in Personal History | Tagged Range shooting | Comments Off

The Remington Model 722 in .300 Savage

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Roy

A vintage rifle in a vintage caliber. Remington introduced the Model 722 shortly after the end of World War II. It was the short-action version of the 722/721 duo and was the gun which was used to introduce the new, soon to be famous .222 Remington varmint and target round. Other rounds, such as the .244 Remington and .300 Savage, were also chambered in the 722. It was a simple, very strong, bolt-action rifle of quality construction which lasted until Remington introduced the Model 700 in 1962.

Dial back 65 years to 1948. America is just three years past the end of the trial of death and destruction known as World War II. Many, many homes have been gripped by the grief of having a friend or family member who did not return, or who returned with crippling wounds. It is difficult to imagine the level of sorrow that must have prevailed for the four years of the war and the years following.

But victorious Americans, together having endured the sacrifice and expended the energy to be victorious, are ready to move on. The first of the Baby Boomers are toddling around their homes and interest in family, work and play grows daily across the country, bringing it to the threshold of the greatest party every thrown in the world, a party we could simply call “The Second Half of the 20^th Century in America.” It’s like had never been seen before and will not be seen again.

To this party, the Remington Arms Company brought a new rifle, a good thing to do in view of the role that outdoor sports and conservation activities would come to play in ensuing years. A good thing also because Remington’s existing hunting rifle offerings were based upon the old Model 1917 Enfield military rifle. Following the interruption of WW II, something new was in order.

Remington Model 722 with Simmons Scope

The new rifle was designed by a team led by Merle “Mike” Walker and it came in two versions, the long action Model 721, suitable for the .270 and .30-06, and the Model 722, suitable for more compact cartridges. The two models were identical in design and function. Both Mike Walker and the rifles he worked on became famous, he as a champion benchrest competitor using the Remington .222 in a 722 action.

The Remington Model 722

A quick look at this gun brings the term “plain rifle” to mind. It is a bolt action with a straight grain, walnut stock and a blue, 24-inch barrel. It came with open, metallic sights and a metal butt plate. The receiver was drilled and tapped

The Short Action 722

for attachment of a scope base. The example described here is chambered for the .300 Savage. That may seem a little strange, the .300 usually being associated with the lever action Savage Model 99. The 722, however, was certainly not the first bolt action rifle to be so chambered, and remember that the .308 Winchester did not exist in 1948, so the need for a short-action thirty was best filled by the .300 Savage.

Remington’s desire to bring a very affordable rifle to market shows in the stamped bottom metal, very functional, of course, yet cheaper to manufacture.

Bottom Metal of the 722

In general the design of the rifle appears to have taken shape with an eye to

offering an arm that would be very competitive in the market place. Remington’s success showed in the list price of $83, while a contemporary Winchester Model 70 listed at about $120. Indeed, the heart-wrenching demise of the Model 70 in 1964 can be traced back to this point.

In performance, however, the 722 is anything but a cheap rifle. The picture shows one of the cleanest bolts in rifledom. It has dual, opposed locking lugs,

Note Extractor Inside Bolt Face

as in Mauser, but does not have the claw extractor adopted by other Mauser descendants, such as the Winchester Model 70. The bolt fits in a very rigid, tubular steel receiver. The long receiver bridge carries the well-fitting bolt and results in very smooth operation. Ahead of the receiver, there is a boss in the barrel that is dovetailed to hold the rear sight. The bottom of the boss fits in a recess in the foreend wood but is not attached by a screw.

The main question for the 722 action, however, is how does it manage to extract a fired cartridge from the chamber? All modern Remington buffs know the answer. Inside the recessed bolt face there is a channel that contains a circular, spring steel clip. When the action is closed on a cartridge, the edge of the clip slips over the rim of the round and secures it for extraction after firing. This is the most outstanding but also the most controversial feature of this Remington action. More about that later.

It is helpful to note that the Model 721/722 was the direct predecessor of the Model 700 and the action is mechanically identical to that of the 700. The fabled strength of the 700 action is therefore present in these earlier guns. The bolt face is recessed and surrounds the head of the cartridge. There is no cutout for an extractor in the rim of the bolt face. The end of the bolt fits in a recess in the barrel, and the barrel is surrounded by the receiver ring. These are the famous “three rings of steel” responsible for the strength of Remington actions.

At the Range with the Remington Model 722

The action seemed to fit well in the wood, although there was no barrel support directly ahead of the recoil lug and the foreend contact with the barrel began a good three inches from the front end. This is not ideal but I decided to see how shooting would go in stock condition. Plenty of time for tuning later. I installed a Simmons 4-14X Whitetail Classic and fired three-shot groups at fifty yards using three factory loads and one handload, all using 150-grain spitzer bullets.

Function was smooth with excellent feeding and ejection. Recoil with the plain metal buttplate was significant but not punishing. I used Winchester and Remington 150-grain loads for velocity comparison using a ProChrono unit, with results as follows:

Winchester Super-X 150-grain Power Point: Average velocity, 2657 fps

Extreme Spread, 48 fps; Standard Deviation 18 fps.

Remington Core-Lokt 150-grain PSP: Average velocity, 2622 fps

Extreme Spread, 92 fps; Standard Deviation, 30 fps.

Hornady Superformance 150-grain SST: Average velocity, 2752 fps

Extreme spread, 92 fps; Standard Deviation 28 fps.

Handload:

36.9 gr of IMR 3031 and Hornady 150-grain SP: Average velocity 2550 fps

Extreme spread 64 fps; Standard deviation 23 fps.

We see that the Winchester and Remington factory loads produced very good velocity for standard loads and that the Hornady Superformance does deliver on its promise of increased velocity, a good 130 fps faster than the Remington.

Accuracy

The four groups shown in the pic for the Winchester ammo averaged .82“ (1.6 MOA). The Remington average was just slightly larger. The 4-group average for the

Four Groups Winchester 150 grainers

Hornady Super was larger, but note the smallest group of .36” fired with this ammo in the pic. The handload also did quite well, coming in at an average .65” (1.3 MOA). All in all, accuracy was quite decent for an untuned piece of ordnance. I think it could be made considerably better. Just might try to work on that in the future.

Handload: 36.9 gr IMR 3031 with Hornady 150 gr Spire Point

Extraction

Many pundits have questioned the extractor design of this rifle and the later Models 700 and 788 which also use the spring clip. While they wonder about its effectiveness and durability, they usually end up saying something like “Well, it seems to work OK.” In this case it worked just great for me, but I will confess that I had one break on me some years ago in a Model 788 chambered for the .222. Why it broke I do not know, but it was easily and economically replaced by my friendly gunsmith. Failure of this extremely simple, clever design is rare, I think.

Bottom Line

The 722 was and is a fine performer and this .300 Savage, pushing 150-gr bullets around 2700 fps, would be a superb deer rifle as is. You would never need anything else. The big question remaining for me, however, is just how accurately will the .300 shoot in a good, tuned rifle??? This is to let you know that some tuning and precision reloading are planned, and, as always, the results will eventually be revealed.

Posted in Rifles/Thirties | Tagged Hornady Superformance .300 Savage, Remington Model 722, Remington Model 722 .300 Savage | Comments Off

Winter Sets In

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Roy

These honkers didn’t seem to mind at all that the lake had turned solid over night here at ATOTT Headquarters. They simply decided to take a little stroll on the ice. Next day they headed for a little open water on a different part of the lake.

Mother nature was benevolent during the early part of December. She even allowed a few comfortable shooting days, some results of which appear in recent posts. However, a big storm the week before Christmas, followed by the lake turning solid, made it clear that my shooting season was over.

It is good to have a break and time to assimilate what has happened and to make plans for future projects. Loading cartridges for new shooting projects is also a great winter pastime. The best thing, though, is that I will have time to write some posts using results from last summer and fall that have not been treated yet. Here are some post topics I may get turned out before spring returns.

Shooting the Remington Model 788 .44 Magnum
A Remington Model 722 .300 Savage
The Ruger No. 1S Medium Sporter
A Mystery Rifle Invented by John M. Browning

New projects for next year’s shooting season won’t be hard to come by. The most exciting thing I can imagine will be some work with the .300 H & H Magnum, the last, and certainly the most powerful, of the “old thirties” in my stable. It was a glamorous hunting round in the first half of the twentieth century, and a very accurate round, also. Old and accurate, just my meat. In an accurate rifle, of course.

On the handloading scene it is powder that is interesting. Hodgdon has a product called Hybrid 100V that is touted as a combined spherical and extruded propellant with a burning rate in the H4350/H4831 range. Good for popular cartridges that like that range, like the .270 Win, but I am wondering how it would work in the .30-40 Krag. That oldie has always done well with the various 4350 and 4831 issues. I will be on my own if I decide to try it, because there is no data to be found. I don’t care. I can do it. Just might find that “everything old is new again!” Then there is also more work to be done with the Hodgdon powders that Hornady has made famous in their LEVERevolution and Superformance factory ammo. I have a .30-30 project in mind for the LE.

If this isn’t enough, there are the articles listed under the “Coming Soon” heading and I have not much recent progress to report for those. I am going to produce the “Krag vs. Mauser” sheet fairly soon, however, and the piece on the ’03 Springfield is also beckoning.

I could go on, but this is making me tired. I will report all in the fulness of time, and I hope you will find at least some of it to your liking. In the meantime, stay warm.

Posted in Personal History | Comments Off

Shooting the Savage Model 45 Super Sporter

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Roy

The title arm was first described in my blog post of November 11, 2011. When one finds an obscure rifle like this old pole, there has to be some reason for not just ignoring it and moving on. It appeared about 10 years before the Winchester Model 70 was born. And why bother with a gun that only sold in the amount of 6000 copies and was discontinued 70 years ago? Well, what caught my eye with the Super Sporter, in addition to its .30-06 chambering and its appearance at the dawn of the golden age of American bolt-action rifles, was its robust, cylindrical receiver. For accuracy in a bolt action, one wants a very rigid receiver because this promotes the shot-to-shot uniformity that fine accuracy requires. Those shooters who compete in

Receiver of Savage Model 45, Minus Bolt

the bench rest shooting sport know this well and often go so far as to bond additional tubular sleeves to the basic actions of their match rifles to stiffen them and gain another smidgeon of decrease in group size. The Model 45 looked like a winner in the rigidity area, but it would, of course, also need a good barrel and chamber to perform well. These features seemed to be in attendance, so I thought it would be fun to see if this hunch held up during a course of shooting with good glass.

I spent some time during the winter of 2012 working to improve the miserable bedding of the action in the stock. Some work with rasps, carving tools and a Dremel,

Stock inlet after bedding

followed by several goo sessions with Acraglas Gel provided a good, level base for the action. The key areas, as always, were the tang and the area behind the recoil lug inlet. Also, the barrel was bedded for about three inches in front of the recoil lug. The end of the forearm was relieved to float the barrel. This work also resulted in a good channel for the safety lever band and operation of the safety became very positive.

Super Sporter with Bushnell Scopechief

I was delighted to find that I had a pair of Weaver Scope bases which fit the receiver and could be used with the taps that some previous owner had put in. I attached a Bushnell Scopechief 6-20X scope, more scope than one would use for hunting, but great for bench shooting of groups.

A feeling of anticipation keeps you going on a project and keeps you hoping to be rewarded for diligent work. It doesn’t always work out, we know, but when it does, you want to stay in the game.

What to expect? Well, I always strive for one MOA, that is, .5-inch groups at 50 yards or 1.0-inch groups at 100 yards. This, and smaller, is often attained with modern rifles right out of the box but it is a challenge for an old rifle that has needed some work.

The Savage Model 45 At the Range

I started with factory loads by Remington and Winchester. These were 180-grain soft point hunting loads. With the .30-06, you have your choice of 125-, 150-, 165-, 180-grain bullets, and heavier, up to 220 grains, in readily-available factory ammo. I think 180-grain bullets are always a good bet in the .30-06, so, not having enough time or money to fire all available bullet weights, I chose the 180s. These factory rounds chronographed in the 2600s.

Five 4-shot groups each at fifty yards averaged .95” with the Remington ammo and 1.19” with the Winchester. Flirting with 2 MOA performance did not seem very exciting, but there is more to it. The groups were nearly all of the three-and-a-flyer type, which indicated to me that the rifle wanted to shoot well, but was just not quite there yet. Measuring the best three out of four in each group gave an average of .89” for the Remingtons and .48” for the Winchesters, the latter (.96 MOA!) being very encouraging.

One thing often observed with a newly-bedded rifle is that it does not immediately do its best. It may take 30-40 rounds to get the action settled and comfortable in its new home. I like to loosen and resnug the action screws every 10-15 rounds to help this process along. After firing the factory loads described above, I tried some Prvi Partizan 165-grain soft point loads. I have had pretty good luck with PPU ammo in the past, and the best three groups with these pills averaged .77” (1.54 MOA). Good performance that showed less tendency to produce flyers. Thus, the Model 45 seemed to be settling in.

Handload Happiness

Apart from the cost savings, I stay in the handloading game because a rifle’s best performance often requires some tailoring in regard to case preparation, powder choice, charge weight, and bullet design. Improvement over factory ammo is still possible, if perhaps harder to come by than it used to be. In this case, I felt that the factory load performance had not rewarded my tuning work on the rifle.

The .30-06 can take advantage of progressive powders, that is, powders ranked toward the slower end of the scale of burn rate. Here we would find the 4350s and 4831s under the IMR or Hodgdon labels. Appropriate ball powders would include Winchester 760 and Hodgdon H414. There are many others. Keep in mind that bullet weight is a factor when making a specific choice of powder.

I chose to begin with W760 and bullets in the 165 – 180-grain weight range. I am not going to list charge weights. Velocities in the range 2400-2500 fps were used, and these are easily attainable with moderate charge weights. Four-shot groups were fired at a distance of fifty yards. As usual, multiply by two to estimate the 100-yard, or Minute-of-Angle measurement.

Hornady 165 grain SP: Three groups ave 0.60,” with smallest group 0.36.” W760 (Very encouraging)

Sierra 180 grain Flat base SP: Four groups averaged 0.58,” smallest 0.47.” W760 (Still encouraged)

Sierra 168 grain HPBT MatchKing: Seven groups ave 0.50” even, smallest 0.26.” W760 (One minute of angle. O happy day!)

Four Consecutive Groups Using W760 and Sierra MK

Powder change:

Sierra 168 grain HPBT MatchKing: Four groups averaged 0.65,” smallest 0.58.” IMR 4350 (A bit less accurate, but not bad)

Powder and bullet change:

Nosler 168 grain J4 Match: Five groups averaged 0.63,” smallest 0.39.” H414 w. CCI primer (Best three shotgroups averaged 0.32,” ignition erratic)

Four Groups Using H414 and Nosler J4

Nosler 168 grain J4 Match: Four groups averaged 0.50,” smallest 0.31.” H414 w. Remington Magnum Primer (Ignition OK, great groups)

Using Magnum Primers

The gun thus proved capable of groups of 1 minute-of-angle, or a little larger, with several powder-bullet combinations and not a lot of searching for usable powder charges, meaning, the gun is not picky regarding its load. Clearly, the Sierra Match King was the exceptional performer, with twenty groups averaging 0.56” (1.12 MOA). The Nosler match bullet is comparable, but the H414 powder required magnum primers for uniform ignition and avoidance of large velocity variations and group flyers.

Throughout these tests the Model 45 functioned well with positive, but not really smooth, loading and ejection. It was not temperamental in regard to barrel heating, bore fouling, or how it was held in the rest. The trigger had a bit of creep and that may have had a small effect on group performance.

What to Take Away

This project was a lot of fun because it was very satisfying to have my hunch about accuracy work out. That doesn’t always happen. Once again, a vintage rifle is shown to have potential for very good accuracy and careful attention to action bedding allows it to do its best. We should all go out and look for used Savage Model 45s, right? Nah, that would be futile, but if you should happen to run on to one, the price will be right. You might need to do a bit of tuning to make it sing, however.

My loading and shooting of the Super Sporter has actually only scratched the surface, considering all of the available powders and bullets for the thirty caliber. What I did do, however, told me what I wanted to know, so I will be selective in future work with the Model 45. I would like to do some more shooting with the 168 grain match bullets. I have a feeling that pushing them a little harder might be good. Also, I would like to try some cast bullets. The .30-06 is not the best choice for cast bullet shooting, but this gun has a good bore and is inherently accurate, so it could do quite well. So much shooting to do, so little time. Cheerio!

Posted in Rifles/Thirties | Tagged Savage Model 45, Savage Model 45 Super Sporter, Sierra 168 Grain Match King | Comments Off

Shooting the 7.65 Mauser Model 1891

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Roy

Only three days remain until Turkey Day, 2012, as I write this. Yesterday I enjoyed a trip to the shooting range with an afternoon temperature of 61 deg. Not bad for November, and a long shooting season is just one of the things I am thankful for.

Accompanying me to the range was a Model 1891 Mauser, caliber 7.65 x 53, also known as the “Argentine Mauser,” that I first described in a post on June 9, 2011. You can check that out if you would like a complete description of this old, military number. Since then I have had some additional shooting experience that I would like to report for the Model 91.

The 7.65 Argentine Rifle

The Model 1891 has an action identical to the preceding Belgian Mauser Model of 1889, which was the first Mauser model to have a bolt with two front locking lugs, a vertical magazine, and a design intended for use with smokeless powder cartridges. It was an early step toward the famous Model 1898 Mauser, but not as strong or as safe as that later arm. Shooting old military rifles is a very interesting pastime, but only when it can be done safely.

One thing we have going for us is the quality that was put into the construction of these arms. My Model 1891, made by Ludwig Loewe of Berlin, was made for smokeless powder, and Loewe was known for using the best steel and heat treatment processes available. The machining and fabrication processes were also of high quality.

This ’91 has a walnut stock, a straight bolt handle, and a 29.1-in. barrel held by two bands. The rear sight is a military ladder type and the front sight is an inverted “V”

Action Open, Magazine in View.

dovetailed into a square sight base. The single-column, vertical magazine is installed just in front of the trigger guard. The magazine is removable, but is meant to be loaded from the top while in the gun. The spring steel lips are easily spread to admit the cartridges and they hold the rounds securely following insertion. In a battle situation, stripper clips could be used for quick loading. Total weight is about 8 lbs 10 oz.

I wanted better sights for accurate shooting, so I bonded a Williams aperture unit to the receiver bridge using J-B Weld. This may sound questionable, but it obviates the need for drilling and tapping and is conveniently and easily accomplished. This is the third rifle for which I have used the bonding method and all have been successful. Check it out in the picture.

Williams Aperture Bonded to the Receiver Bridge of the 1891 Mauser

The 7.65 x 53 Cartridge

The 7.65 x 53 cartridge was introduced with the Model 1889 Mauser. Designed for smokeless powder from the start, it is a bottle-necked, rimless cartridge with a powder capacity a bit larger than that of the .308 Winchester but considerably smaller than that of the .30-06 Springfield. In spite of the case capacity difference,

Left: 7.65 x 53; Right .308 Winchester

the .308 performs better because it operates at higher pressure, the 7.65 being held to 46,000 psi, or so. Bullet diameter is 0.311 in., the same as that used by the .303 British military cartridge. A few American rifles, including the Model 70 Winchester, were chambered for the 7.65 round, and American loading companies produced it for a while, but that is long gone. Two loads are currently produced by PPU (Prvi Partizan Uzice of Serbia) and Hornady produces one load.

The 7.65 Argentine at the Range

The loads available from PPU are a 174-grain full metal jacketed round and a 180-grain soft point that would be suitable for hunting. Both loads performed well in the Model 91 Mauser in terms of velocity and accuracy. The velocities were:

PPU 174 grain FMJ (8 shots): Ave 2608 fps; Spread 85; SD 28

PPU 180 grain SP (8 shots): Ave 2559 fps; Spread 53; SD 16

Note that these velocities are in the ball park of the .308 Winchester and that the 180-gr SP moves quite a bit faster than a similar bullet does when launched by the .30-40 Krag, a military cartridge that was a contemporary of the 7.65 in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Keep in mind, however, that these velocities were obtained using the 29-inch barrel of the Model 91 Mauser. I am thinking that a 24-inch barrel would produce velocity pretty close the 2430 fps of the factory Krag 180, and we know that that round is no slouch when it comes to the killing of game.

I shot about a dozen five-shot groups at fifty yards to get an idea of accuracy for gun and cartridge. The picture shows three of the groups, and the target needs comment. Even with the rear aperture sight set at its lowest point the gun prints about 6 inches high at 50 yards. That shows a need for a higher front sight, but I haven’t done that yet, so the target was designed to allow me to shoot groups in reliable, repeatable fashion. The lower circle is used to center the inverted V front sight and the upper circle catches the shots. You need pay no attention to the additional lines or circles in the upper circle. The gun often prints a round group, such as the one on the left that measures 1.15”. Flyers also appeared occasionally as shown in the other two groups, each showing a superb cluster and then one flyer. The cluster of four in the middle target measures 0.73”. The cluster in the right-hand target contains five shots and measures 0.65”. I have no explanation for the errant shots; they are not “called flyers.” You will never see a group with a “called flyer” in my articles. If I get a group that has a flyer that I know is my fault, I burn it. Not to say that the flyers shown here are not my fault; they might have something to do with sighting or holding in the rest, but nothing I can really put a finger on.

Be that as it may, the groups demonstrate very good accuracy for the Model 1891 and they show that a good degree of precision is possible with the long sight radius, aperture sight setup.

Handloading Contemplated

The 7.65 Argentine Mauser of 1891 is pleasant to shoot but it is not as safe as later Mauser models. There is no safety lug on the bolt to help keep it in the gun in the event of a high pressure event, and there is no provision for the safe escape of gas in the event of a ruptured case. Granted, these are unlikely events with factory cartridges.

The fine 7.65 cartridge, the accuracy of the arm, and the good function that includes the easily-used magazine call for more shooting. For this I would like to develop some target loads of modest pressure to be totally safe in view of the factors noted above. I have a set of Lyman dies and there is a pretty good selection of 150- and 180-grain, .311” bullets available. The powder selection is also wide, and the PPU cases seem to be of good quality. I expect you will find a handloading report at some future date.

Posted in Rifles/Thirties | Tagged 7.65 Argentine Mauser, 7.65 Mauser Model 1891, 7.65 x 53 Mauser | Comments Off

A Tale of Two Thirties

Spring News

Average Load Velocity: Mean and Median

Scatter

Degree of Scatter

What If I Am Dissatisfied?

The Remington Model 81 Woodsmaster

Evaluating Ammunition: How Many and How far?

Cabela’s Commemorative Ruger No. 1S

Thoughts on Range Shooting

The Remington Model 722 in .300 Savage

Winter Sets In

Shooting the Savage Model 45 Super Sporter

Shooting the 7.65 Mauser Model 1891

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